STEM Problem Solving: Inquiry, Concepts, and Reasoning.

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Science Pedagogy
• Inquiry-Based Learning

Background:

• Meaningful learning requires balancing disciplinary knowledge with practical reasoning.
• Abstract science concepts in STEM problem-solving often disconnect learners from daily experiences.
• Bridging this gap is crucial for overcoming science learning isolation and fragmentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how integrated STEM problem-solving facilitates shuttling between practical and science inquiry.
• To investigate the types of knowledge generated from practical and science inquiry.
• To determine if connecting science and practical inquiry narrows the gap between science and everyday experiences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of classroom talk during a crop yield problem-solving activity.
• Analysis of 3 hours of video recordings from six classes (113 eighth graders and teachers).
• Examined utterances to identify instances of practical and science inquiry.

Main Results:

• An almost equal balance of science and practical inquiry talk was observed.
• Teachers and students utilized everyday experiences to develop solutions.
• Science talk primarily involved basic facts to justify design choices, with limited application of higher-level scientific concepts.

Conclusions:

• Integrated STEM problem-solving offers potential for connecting science to practical applications.
• Current practices show opportunities for more intentional integration of scientific knowledge.
• Deliberate application of scientific knowledge could enhance the quality of solutions in problem-solving activities.